Canon R7 BIF with the R7

[Archibald]

I have never been that good of a BIF shooter, but I'm getting some frustrating behavior with the R7. I'm curious what you folks use as settings on the R7 and how well it works for you. Is this a useful thing to discuss here, or has it already been covered in the forum?

Below is a successful shot taken this morning, of a Canada Goose hybrid.

• Canon EOS R7
• RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
• 500.0 mm
• ƒ/7.1
• 1/1600 sec
• ISO 400

 

[Arbarthisti]

BIF setting on the R7 I generally use the following
Shutter button metering only, rear af button set to AF and Eye, star button tracking on tracking off. Depth of field button (front of camera) servo on/servo off. Perhaps you could mention what settings you are using as a starting point.

There are a number of good tips on you tube for setting focus up try out whistling wings photography or duade paton to name a few.

 

[Jake Shoots Birds]

Feel free to discuss settings. But the "frustrating behavior" may not be as much setting related as it is the camera itself, and that we've spoken about quite a bit here. I shoot with both the R5 and the R7, and if I could get a camera with the R5's IQ and focus stickiness with the R7's focus system, and not pay as much as the R3, I'd get rid of both of them and buy two.

The R7 grabs the desired focus point better than any of my Canon R-series cameras, but it doesn't always grab or hold focus on that point. This has been discussed elsewhere here. Long story short - great focus system tied to an underpowered processor. This can be overcome by shooting fewer FPS, but the FPS is why we got the camera.

 

[Archibald]

My issue seems to be grabbing of the subject (= focus point?) when doing birds in flight.

My typical experience is, I raise the camera and aim at the BIF. I see the bird in the viewfinder and press AF-On. But then the AF goes hunting and the bird disappears in a blur. All I see is sky. I re-focus on a tree or something to get some focus back, and that works, but it takes time and the bird is gone.
I understand the R7 has limitations, and my BIF skills might not be the best. But my settings could also be a factor. And it is the latter that I'm asking about here.

I shoot M with auto ISO, continuous H (not H+), EFCS, hi speed display ON, using backbutton focus (AF-ON button). The shutter does metering only. I go into the Detail set menu for the AF-On button and place checkmarks against AF servo, Subject tracking On, Animals and Eye. I am not settled on Area and don't see much difference in behavior between 1-point and full area. But usually I'm on 1-point. It finds subjects way outside of that spot. Sometimes I set the area for full, and I get much the same behavior.

I have the * button set for spot AF, but never use it for BIF.

 

[Only RF]

I changed my entire approach to ML cameras. Had an R5 which I sold and now have the R6II and R7. My approach to all of them is I expect them to fail which makes life for me easier. This new tech is phenomenal but it is new. As they keep training their AI with FW updates and new cameras it will keep getting better.

I don't care why it failed. I just worry about how to get it do to want I want, not what it wants. With my 7D for 5 years I shot with both AF on and metering on the shutter button. I never had an issue keeping the shutter button half pressed while tracking and burst shooting. I decided to map AF to the AF-ON button for my 7D2. It actually took a little while to adjust to that.

I also shoot M with auto ISO, continuous H (not H+) but for the R7 in ES. I can't stand the loud shutter. I use EFCS for my R6II.

I changed my entire approach to ML bodies. I may not be using all of the sub options in the Detail Set but it works for me. I left both AF and Metering on the shutter button so I'm back at half pressing the shutter again. Note: I've also disabled both the joystick and LCD to move the AF point/s around. It's too slow for me.

This frees up the AF-ON. I have programmed the AF-ON for Single Point AF. The * button for Zone AF which is for BIF. A rarely use Spot Focus so I mapped that to the DOF. On the R7 it won't map the magnifier button for an AF mode. The R5 and R6II allow that option which is called the AF Point selection button.

I'm always on Whole Area AF and Eye Detect. I've mapped other buttons to get in and out of Eye detect when needed but I'm in Eye almost all of the time. For the R7 I use the lower cross key.

I always let the camera do its thing first by pressing the shutter half way. I paid a lot of money for that tech and it does well most of the time. If it can't find the eye it will focus on the head. If it can't focus on the head it will do the body and go back to the eye when it can.

For a total failure where it won't focus on bird at all at I'll press a BBF. Typically the * for BIF (Zone AF) but I have used the AF-ON with single point as well.

I physically move the camera so the AF point/s land on the bird and then release the BBF. The AF point/s can be anywhere on the bird. It does not have to be on the the eye. That is the cameras job. As long as your subject is in reasonable focus it will find the eye when you release the BBF.

With this method I don't have to lift my thumb off one BBF to press another. With the shutter half pressed I just toggle the one I need as many times as I need to while tracking a bird.

I even use this for static birds. Those small birds don't give you much time. I move the camera so the AF point/s lands on it, I release the BBF and then recompose. Much faster for me than moving the AF point around. I've even used Zone AF for static and it works great. You just need to get the bird in reasonable focus. It's even focused on the post a bird is sitting on and when I release the BFF the eye snaps in.

I also have the AF Preview enabled. Page 3 of the AF menus. With it enabled it will start to look for an eye when the camera wakes up before you press any buttons. When tracking a BIF and I happen to lift my finger past half way off the shutter it kicks in and continues to AF.

Also I've read that some like to use a BBF first to get the bird in focus and then switch to Eye Detect. I prefer to use Eye Detect and let the camera do its thing first.

My approach is a little different to the conventional mapping the AF-On for AF. AF-ON has been around for a long time and Eye Detect is new. Just trying to think outside the box.

 

[Only RF]

I had a few typos in that last post. I'm really bad for that. I'm re-reading and correcting them. Sorry about that.

 

[Archibald]

I had a few typos in that last post. I'm really bad for that. I'm re-reading and correcting them. Sorry about that.

LOL, no problem! I get what you said. Sort of.

I am pondering the Preview AF setting. Not sure what it does. I will have to review my notes on how the R7 behaves with all its white, green and blue squares, with the different cryptic outlines, and try to figure it out in that context.

Your method is very different from mine, and basically doesn't help to troubleshoot my settings. I could go over to your way and try it out, though. But it gets complicated fast. Some time ago I tried to go back to shutter button focus. It seemed to work well at times, yet there were other times when BB was better. Also I was trying to have settings that would harmonize with my R5. And back button seemed to do that.

Figuring the R7 out ain't easy, and understanding the R5 and getting the two to work about the same is tough.

And I'm still not sure that my issue is the settings. It might be my lousy technique. Sometimes it works, though!! Here is a gull in flight.

• Canon EOS R7
• RF-S18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM
• 150.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/1600 sec
• ISO 250

 

[Only RF]

What part of "sort of"can I clear up?

Activate AF Preview and see what it does. Use it on a partner or friend. Wake the camera up and don't press any buttons. Then activate and deactivate AF. It has to be the white single lined broken square. Not the double lined one. That has a different function.

 

[Only RF]

Either way it looks like you are doing OK. No one gets 100% keeper rate for BIF.

 

[Archibald]

With my settings, the R7 finds a subject and puts a broken white square around it without me pressing any buttons. To me that is previewing the focus target. It does that with Preview AF disabled or enabled.